LONDON: The British government indicated on Friday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could be arrested on an International Criminal Court arrest warrant if he travelled to the United Kingdom.

The ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and ex-defence minister Yoav Gallant on Thursday in response to accusations of crimes against humanity and war crimes during Israel’s action against Hamas in Gaza since October last year.

It said there were reasonable grounds to believe the pair bore criminal responsibility for using starvation as a method of warfare and intentionally attacking civilians.

The ICC’s move theoretically limits the movement of Netanyahu, as any of the court’s 124 member states would be obliged to arrest him on their territory.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s spokesman refused to be drawn specifically on whether UK police would detain Netanyahu, telling reporters he would not “get into hypotheticals in relation to individual cases”.

But he added: “The UK will always comply with its legal obligations as set out by domestic law and indeed international law.”

Britain signed the Rome Statute, the international treaty that created the ICC, in 1998 and ratified it three years later.

It is not clear whether the UK court process begins after the ICC issues the arrest warrant or once the indicted person lands on British soil.

“We would obviously fulfil our obligations under the act,” added Starmer’s spokesman.

Ireland

Benjamin Netanyahu would be detained if he arrives in Ireland, Prime Minister Simon Harris said on Friday.

Asked by state broadcaster RTE if Ireland would arrest the Israeli prime minister if he came to Ireland, Harris said: “Yes, absolutely.”

He added: “We support international courts and we apply their warrants.”

Relations between Ireland and Israel have deteriorated since Dublin recognised the Palestinian state last May, a move that prompted Israel to recall its ambassador.

Iran’s Guards

The head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards described the arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the “end and political death” of Israel.

“This means the end and political death of the Zionist regime, a regime that today lives in absolute political isolation in the world and its officials can no longer travel to other countries,” Revolutionary Guards chief General Hossein Salami said in a speech aired on state TV.

In the first official reaction by Iran, Salami called the ICC warrant “a welcome move” and a “great victory for the Palestinian and Lebanese resistance movements”, both supported by Tehran.

China’s plea

China urged the International Criminal Court to remain objective and fair after it issued the arrest warrant.

“China hopes the ICC will uphold an objective and just position (and) exercise its powers in accordance with the law,” foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said at a press conference in response to a question about the court’s warrant for Netanyahu. He said there were reasonable grounds to believe the pair bore criminal responsibility for using starvation as a method of warfare and intentionally attacking civilians.

China, which like Israel and the United States is not a member of the ICC, said it “supports any efforts by the international community on the Palestinian issue that are conducive to achieving fairness and justice and upholding the authority of international law”.

Published in Dawn, November 23th, 2024